Syllabus for COS-451

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE


COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides an introduction to how artificial intelligence (AI) methods solve problems that are difficult or impractical to solve with other methods. The focus of the course is on learning how to determine when an AI approach is appropriate for a given situation, being able to select AI method, and implementing it. AI methods will be chosen from heuristic search and planning algorithms, formalisms for knowledge representation, and reasoning techniques and methods applicable to expert systems and games.

COURSE TOPICS

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

CO 1        Explain the foundations and history of AI, as well as the science of agent design.

CO 2        Illustrate the use of problem-solving techniques, such as the various search methods, games, and constraint satisfaction problems.

CO 3        Demonstrate AI’s use of knowledge representation, through logic agents and first-order logic to address AI problems.

CO 4        Discuss the philosophical foundations of AI and explain the possibilities for the future of AI.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbook

ISBN-13: 978-0136042594

COURSE STRUCTURE

Artificial Intelligence is a three-credit online course, consisting of five modules. Modules include learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in 10 graded online discussion forums, complete five written assignments, take a proctored midterm online examination, and complete a final project. See below for more details.

Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in About SafeAssign.

Discussion Forums

This course requires you to participate in 10 graded discussion forums. There is also one ungraded but required introduction forum in Module 1. 

Communication with the mentor and among fellow students is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct assignments: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses.

 

You will be evaluated both on the quality of your responses (i.e., your understanding of readings, concepts, and ideas as demonstrated by well-articulated, critical thinking) and quantity of your participation (i.e., the number of times you participate meaningfully in the assigned forums). Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

 

Meaningful participation in online discussions is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement.

Written Assignments

Artificial Intelligence has five written assignments. For the assignment topics and questions, see the individual module details. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these modules and read through the written assignment questions before you begin each reading assignment.

Assignments must be prepared electronically with a word processor, preferably using whatever equation editor comes with your word processing software. However, if your word processor is not compatible with your mentor's word processor, you will need to save your document as a rich-text file (.rtf) before submitting it. Check with your mentor first to determine file compatibility.

 

When preparing your answers, please identify each exercise clearly by textbook section and exercise number. Be sure to include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled. To receive full credit for your answers, you must show all work and include complete solutions.

Midterm Examination

This course requires you to take a proctored online midterm examination. It is three hours long and covers all material assigned in Modules 1 through 3. It consists of essay questions and problems related to topics covered in the three modules.

 

The exam is open-book. This means that you may use ONLY your course textbook and refer to it during the exam, but you are NOT permitted to use any notes, any solutions manuals, study guides, or any other reference sources or sources of information. The course textbook must be an original bound hard copy; electronic textbooks (or printouts) are not allowed.

For the midterm, you are required to use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course website) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.

Online exams are administered through the course website. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Statement about Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Final Project

This course requires you to complete a final project. The final assessment is an open-book project consisting of problems and essays. It covers all material assigned in Modules 4 and 5 of the course, although you will be expected to be able to make reference to material covered before the midterm exam as well. 

If you use any text, online, or other sources as you prepare these problems and essays, be sure to give appropriate credit to the source.

 

Details about the Final Project are located within the Final Project section of the course website and will be activated and made available to you at the start of final project week (see Course Calendar). You may complete the project any time during the last week of the semester, but you must submit it no later than midnight Sunday (eastern standard time) of that week. If you are on a course extension, you will need to arrange with your mentor a time to submit the Final Project.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A

=

93–100

C+

=

78–79

A–

=

90–92

C

=

73–77

B+

=

88–89

C–

=

70–72

B

=

83–87

D

=

60–69

B–

=

80–82

F

=

Below 60

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

ACADEMIC POLICIES

To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.

For more, see:

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